Authorization Inspect
Inspect auth headers and token data in your browser. No input is sent to a server. Use it for first-pass checks on expiry, claims, and schemes.
Status
Runs in your browser. No input is sent to a server. Use this as a first-pass diagnostic step.
How to use
Paste Authorization or Request Headers and click “Parse”. It summarizes the scheme and details.
Notes (this tool)
- Accepts Authorization: header lines (multi-line paste is OK).
- Do not paste secrets. Mask tokens if needed.
About this page
What does this tool do?
Split Authorization to list the scheme (Basic/Bearer/ApiKey, etc.) and a summary of the value.
Useful for diagnosing 401/403, verifying token formats, and spotting header mistakes.
Basics (role of Authorization)
- Authorization carries client credentials.
- Auth type is identified by the scheme (Basic/Bearer, etc.).
- 401 responses usually include WWW-Authenticate.
Input examples
- Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOi...
- Authorization: Basic dXNlcjpwYXNz
- Paste full Request Headers
Common schemes
- Bearer: access token (e.g., JWT)
- Basic: ID/password (Base64)
- ApiKey / Token: custom API key schemes
Bearer (JWT, etc.) key points
- Check JWT-like format (3 Base64url segments)
- Check exp/iat/nbf time claims
- Verify signatures with JWT Verifier
Basic auth key points
- Base64 is reversible; use HTTPS.
- Username/password are separated by ":" in Basic.
Common pitfalls
- Sending “Token” or another scheme instead of Bearer
- Authorization missing; relying only on Cookie
- Token expired causing 401
- CORS preflight fails because Authorization is not allowed
Debugging workflow (recommended)
- Extract Authorization via Request Headers Parser
- Use this tool to check scheme and format
- Check 401 requirements with WWW-Authenticate Inspect
Related tools
- WWW-Authenticate Inspect
- HTTP Status Inspect
- Request Headers Parser
- JWT Decoder
- JWT Verifier
What this tool does
- Show Authorization scheme and value summary
- Help identify Basic/Bearer
- Lightweight JWT format check
Operational notes
- Result output alone is not enough for trust decisions. Always validate signatures and issuer.
- Clock skew and environment differences affect reproducibility, so record test time and settings.
Referenced specs
- RFC 9110 (HTTP Semantics)
- RFC 7617 (Basic)
- RFC 6750 (Bearer Token)
- MDN: Authorization
FAQ
Why does it work without Authorization?
It may rely on other mechanisms like cookies or IP restrictions. Clarify what auth is expected.
Can a Bearer token be non-JWT?
Yes. Bearer is a scheme name; tokens are not always JWT.
Is Basic safe?
It must be used over HTTPS. Base64 is reversible, not encryption.
References
Page-specific case studies
This page inspects Authorization header format to catch common implementation mistakes early.
- Check Bearer prefix presence and spacing format.
- Validate Basic auth base64 structure.
- Detect conflicting multiple Authorization headers.
Page-specific implementation checklist
- Confirm gateway forwards Authorization headers correctly.
- Validate accepted Authorization schemes strictly on server side.
- Mask token values in logs.
- Standardize header generation in client SDKs.
Next to view (diagnostic order)
These links are generated from site_map rules in recommended diagnostic order.
- JWT 401/403 Diagnostic Playbook — Separate 401 and 403 using Authorization, WWW-Authenticate, claims, and signature checks
- JWT Decoder vs Verifier — Clarify decode vs signature verification roles and connect to 401/403 troubleshooting flow
- WWW-Authenticate Inspect — Parse WWW-Authenticate challenges
- JWT Verifier — Verify JWT signatures (HS/RS/ES)
- JWT Clock Skew Check — Detect timestamp skew across iat/nbf/exp
- JWT TTL Check — Calculate validity window and remaining TTL from exp/iat/nbf
- OAuth Bearer Diagnostic — Diagnose consistency between Bearer and WWW-Authenticate
- JWT 401/403 Troubleshooting — Troubleshoot 401/403 auth failures from headers and JWT claims
Same-theme links
Auth
Trace auth failures across Bearer, WWW-Authenticate, and JWT
- OAuth Bearer Diagnostic — Diagnose consistency between Bearer and WWW-Authenticate
- JWT 401/403 Troubleshooting — Troubleshoot 401/403 auth failures from headers and JWT claims
- JWT Claim Audit — Audit missing required/recommended JWT claims
- JWT TTL Check — Calculate validity window and remaining TTL from exp/iat/nbf
- JWT Clock Skew Check — Detect timestamp skew across iat/nbf/exp
- WWW-Authenticate Inspect — Parse WWW-Authenticate challenges
- JWT Decoder — Decode and pretty-print JWT header/payload
- JWT Verifier — Verify JWT signatures (HS/RS/ES)